News
Kent State Offers Second Chance To Some Students
By: Amy Hansen | StateImpact Ohio
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Kent State is looking for a specific group of students: those who have dropped out over the past two years, have above a 2.0 grade point average, haven’t graduated from another institution, and have completed at least 90 credits.
Melody Tankersley, KSU’s Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, says the school wants to welcome back students who left despite being only about 30 credits – or about one year, full time – shy of finishing their degrees.
She says this new initiative is partially linked to a change in the way public colleges and universities receive state funding.
This is the first year where schools earn money based on how many of their students actually complete courses and degrees, rather than the number of students enrolled.
“I don’t know that we had considered this before and I don’t know when we would have got to the place of considering it without that change,” Tankersley said. “So that change has made us think of things a little bit differently.”
Roughly 1,500 former students will be contacted via phone and email. Tankersley says KSU plans to offer these students extra perks like more academic advising, the option to take some classes online, and a $500 scholarship to finish their degree.
The university will officially begin its search this summer.